Predators down Oilers, win fourth straight

Mar 23, 2011 - 2:46 AM

Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - David Legwand scored a goal and added an
assist, as the Nashville Predators earned a 3-1 win over the lowly Edmonton
Oilers at Bridgestone Arena.

Martin Erat and Patric Hornqvist also tallied for Nashville, which has won
four straight and six of its last seven overall. The Predators now have 88
points and pulled even with Los Angeles for the fifth spot in a tight Western
Conference.

Jordan Eberle accounted for the lone goal for the Oilers, who have dropped
seven in a row and are in last place in the NHL. Devan Dubnyk made 27 saves
in defeat.

Nashville opened the scoring 4:08 into the contest when Erat took a pass from
Joel Ward and re-directed the puck into a wide open net to finish off a
perfectly orchestrated line rush.

The Predators then made it a 2-0 game at 7:40 while on the power play. Sergei
Kostitsyn carried the puck into the Edmonton zone and sent a backhand pass to
Hornqvist, who fired it past Dubnyk on the stick side from the slot.

Legwand handcuffed Dubnyk with a backhander at the 7:00 mark of the second to
give Nashville a three-goal cushion.

Eberle put home a rebound from in close on the power play at 9:38 to get the
Oilers on the board, and it was a 3-1 game after 40 minutes.

Nashville outshot Edmonton 10-8 in a scoreless third period, and despite the
Oilers pulling the goaltender in favor of the extra attacker in the waning
moments, they were unable to cut into the two-goal deficit.

Game Notes

Edmonton forward Ales Hemsky underwent successful shoulder surgery on
Tuesday...Nashville improved to 20-8-7 on home ice this season...The Oilers
have lost 16 of their past 20 against the Predators...Ryan Suter had a pair of
assists for Nashville.